


Zomdori

by Koakohaku



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: BanG Dream AU, Bandori AU, F/F, Zombies, gay with zombies, idk what ships will be in here yet but kaomisa will be 1, kasusaaya - Freeform, zombie apocalypse AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:20:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23572252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Koakohaku/pseuds/Koakohaku
Summary: The last thing Misaki Okusawa and Rimi Ushigome expected to come across after a day of the movies was a feral woman attacking an employee at one of the mall’s clothing stores...However, now they’re experiencing the one thing they thought would never become real: the zombie apocalypse. The two together, along with the girls they meet along the way, are struggling to survive in this alternate world in which the SOS Girls Panic event becomes a reality, and not just a show put on by the mall.
Relationships: Okusawa Misaki/Seta Kaoru, Toyama Kasumi/Yamabuki Saaya
Comments: 6
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

“A movie?”

Misaki twirls her pencil between her right index and thumb, starting at the short black haired girl with piqued interest. She didn’t expect for Rimi Ushigome to invite her to a movie—let alone a horror movie—but it’s something she wouldn’t decline, either.

The other second year nodded, pressing her school bag to her waist. “I have an extra ticket, and I know you like horror movies as well.” Rimi smiles, her cheeks a faint rosy pink. “If you don’t mind, of course...”

Misaki closes her notebook while still staring at the girl. “No, I don’t. I’d be happy to go. We don’t have practice today, anyway. When’s the movie?”

“It’s in three hours. Is that okay?”

The DJ was placing her stuff in her bag now. “Yeah, ‘course. I’m not busy at all, so it should be fine.”

“Thank you so much, Misaki-chan!” Rimi chirped. “I promise you’ll love it a lot!”

“Heh, I’m sure it’ll be good,” Misaki said, standing back up. She adjusted her bag over her shoulder, making sure to do a quick check before following her fellow second year outside of her classroom. “Do you mind if we head back to our places first? I was hoping to get changed out of our uniforms.”

“We can meet at the mall then,” Rimi said. “I don’t want to carry my bass there, so I’d want to go back as well.” 

Misaki frowned. “Did you have practice planned today?” 

Rimi nodded. “Later, after the movie. We were going to do a small bit of practice since we have a gig at CiRCLE next week. PoPiPa is still trying to shoot for Budokan, so we’re getting in a few more gigs to raise our fan base a bit.” She smiled a little, looking to the side as if in reminiscence. “It’s fun, though. I like performing with them a lot.”

The other girl stared at her in solemn, but didn’t say much. Rimi glanced back at her with a frown, but before she could speak, Misaki waved to her and headed in the opposite direction. “I’ll see you at the mall in a bit,” the DJ said. “Can’t wait.”

Rimi’s cheeks flushed. “Mhm!” 

• • •

“Wooo, that was great!” Misaki said.

The two second years exited the theatre, Misaki holding her head with her arms, while Rimi was still munching on leftover popcorn. 

The longer haired girl looked over at her friend, who was staring at the poster for the movie they had just seen, the look of admiration strong in her eyes. The stars sparkled brightly, as Rimi turned with an excited pep to her skip and hop. “That was amazing!” She gasped in awe, feeling her weight lift off her heels. “The graphics, the story, the characters... aaaah!”

Misaki chuckled. “I haven’t been to a movie in a while, so that was a great refresher,” she said. “Thanks for inviting me.”

“Of course!” Rimi said. “I knew you’d enjoy it!”

“Haaa... I don’t know, Chisato-chan. This doesn’t seem like it would fit my colors...”  
The two of them looked over to see Aya and Chisato standing at the entrance of a clothing store; the bassist handing Aya different outfits to try on.

“I think you’d look great,” Chisato said. “Here, go to the changing room and put those on. Maybe you’ll change your mind then.”

“...Okay.”

The blonde bassist turns and spots the two together, flashing a friendly smile. “It’s nice time see you two here. Did you just come from the theatre?”

Misaki and Rimi both approach the older classmate, with Rimi nodding in answer. “Mhm! We just watched the new horror movie that came out. You know, the zombie apocalypse one.”

“O-Oh... interesting. I didn’t think you were into that,” Chisato said. “But you seemed like you enjoyed yourselves. What did you think, Misaki-chan?”

“I thought it was good,” Misaki said. “Best movie I’ve seen in a while, but nothing to get excited over.” 

“E-Excuse me miss, are you alright?”  
The employee at the clothing store was approaching a woman, who seemed to be hunched over and groaning. Misaki leaned past Rimi to get a better look, with an eyebrow quirked out of interest, however Chisato kept trying to pull them back into the conversation.

“So Aya-chan just wanted to get a few outfits and asked for a bit of advice...” Chisato was babbling their ears off while Misaki kept her eyes on the two women. The customer seemed absolutely still, while the employee was constantly asking her questions, mumbling under her breath the need to call an ambulance...

The employee reached out for the woman after a minute of no response, and Misaki suddenly reared back, grabbing Rimi and Chisato both by the arm. “You guys, I think we need to go!”

“What? What’s going on?” Chisato asked.

Misaki felt her ears ring at the loud screeching as the customer leapt at the employee, knocking her to the ground. The DJ tried to pull them both with her, but Chisato seemed in place, refusing to move until she followed her gaze... 

“W-What’s g-going on?” Rimi cried out, backing towards Misaki. “Is she attacking her?”

More groans arose around them. Misaki glanced back to see a few more people walking similarly to the customer, and the screams and cries of innocents filling the air...

This can’t be real. This can’t.

“Z-Zombies! They’re zombies!” Someone screamed.

That was it. Misaki tugged Chisato and Rimi along with her, dashing to escape the mall. 

“N-No! What are you doing?” Chisato gasped. “Aya-chan is still in there! We can’t leave her here!”

“Do you want to die?” Misaki snapped. “We literally just entered a real life apocalypse situation, and people are being attacked and turning into zombies around us!”

“Guys, there’s a few coming towards us!” Rimi shouted.

Misaki looked around, before pulling the girls towards a toy store. The three of them hid behind a shelf in a quick moment to catch a breath, before Chisato stood back up straight and started away.

The dj reached forward and grabbed Chisato’s wrist. “Where are you going? You’ll die if you go out there!”

“Aya-chan will die if I don’t!” Chisato snapped. “I’d rather die than leave her!”

“G-Guys don’t fight...” Rimi said. “We can get out of this. It’s okay.”

“What are we supposed to do?” Misaki demanded. “Maruyama-san is probably surrounded by several already, and if she’s exited the changing room, she’s probably already a goner.”

“W-We need to be positive!” Rimi pulled out her phone. “I have the map to the mall saved on my phone. I think there was a weapon shop a few stores from here. If we’re quick, we can go in, grab some, and then save her.”

“R-Rimi, we don’t even know how to handle guns!” Misaki said. “We’re in high school!”

“I can figure it out,” Rimi said. “We can store whatever we need to in Chisato-senpai’s shopping bags and your backpack, Misaki. That should be enough space. Grab whatever you can, got it?”

“Y-Yeah...”

“Okay,” Chisato said, swallowing the lump in her throat.

The three of them were quick on their heels as they left, with Rimi in the lead. She maneuvered her way through, making sure her schoolmates were close behind. They made speedy time as they dashed into the gun store, grabbing whatever weapons they could. Rimi quickly loaded a gun for herself, nodding to Misaki and Chisato once they filled their bags.

They followed close behind her on their way back, with Rimi shooting zombies whenever they got too close. Their numbers were growing vastly, and Misaki tossed her a refill as soon as the gun ran dry. 

“C-Chisato-chan!” Aya cried out as they approached the store once more. “S-Somebody! Please! Help me!”

The three places themselves behind a family of mannequins, kneeling down and out of sight. Rimi peeked out, before turning back to the other two. “One of us is going to have to distract them while the others go in and grab her.”

“But what if we get attacked?” Chisato asked.

Rimi pauses, before reaching into Chisato’s bag and pulling out a pistol. “Here,” she said. “This is the trigger, pull this back until it clicks to move the chamber to the next bullet.” Rimi motions to each part, before handing it to Misaki. “Chisato-senpai can grab Aya-senpai, and Misaki can watch her back.”

“A-Are you sure?” Misaki asked. “I don’t know if I can...”

“Misaki-chan please,” Chisato begged. “We have to save her.”

The black haired girl held her breath, grabbing the brim of her hat and adjusting it back on her head. She exhaled out, “Okay, I’ll do it,” before standing back up. She helped Chisato to her feet, as Rimi passed by and began luring the zombies away.

“Be careful, Rimi!” Misaki yelled.

“Don’t worry about me!” She called back.

“Okay, stay close,” Misaki told Chisato. The third year nodded, her toes to the second year’s heels as the two hurried for Aya, whose cries still filled the air.

“We’re coming, Aya-chan!” Chisato called to her. She let out a yelp as a zombie approached, but it quickly fell back as a bullet slammed straight through it’s forehead. Misaki kept moving along with Chisato still close, hearts pounding outside of their chests.

They reached the changing rooms with ease. Chisato ran to the room Aya was in, opening the door to find the pink haired girl on the ground sobbing. Chisato knelt down and hugged her friend, letting out a shaky sigh of relief. “Are you okay?” she asked, running a hand along the vocalist’s back as she cried into her shoulder.

“T-Thank you first coming for me,” Aya sobbed. “I thought I was a goner...”

“We need to get out of here,” Misaki said. “The crowd is growing again and Rimi cant stay on her own forever.”

“Alright,” Chisato said, standing up. Aya stumbled for a moment, shakily following her. She adjusted her skirt, then squeeze Chisato’s arm tight, still trembling. Misaki gazed at her with a frown, before reaching a hand out for Chisato to grab and follow.

Misaki felt sick to her stomach suddenly. They had been moving quicker than this earlier, weren’t they? Aya’s the type to run away pretty quickly, especially as an idol. She glanced back at the two bandmates, who seemed to be talking quietly to each other, with the bassist comforting her vocalist. Misaki let out a breezy sigh, shooting another zombie as it got close. “Come on,” she said, picking up her pace. “We’re almost to Rimi.”

“Guys!” Speak of the devil, she came dashing back over. “Come on, let’s get out of here,” Rimi said. “We should be able to run back to my place if we’re quick.”

“C-Can you slow down...?” Aya asked. “I... Ugh...”

“Aya-chan? What’s wrong?” Chisato asked.

“It feels like all of my organs are about to be ripped out of my body...” Aya groaned. “My leg... is burning...”

“...Bitten. She’s been bitten,” Misaki said. “Chisato, let go of her now!”

“What? Aya-chan is fine! She’s just tired from all of the stress. I’m sure her legs just hurt from practice,” Chisato said. “Come on, lets keep going.”

“Chisato, let go of Aya!” Misaki grabbed Chisato’s arm, and the third year ripped it away, giving her underclassman a cool glare.

“How dare you? She is my friend! I’m not leaving her behind!”

“C-Chisato-chan...” Aya mumbled. “I’m hungry...”

“It’s okay, Aya-chan! We’ll find food once we leave...”

Rimi and Misaki both grabbed Chisato at the same time, pulling her away from Aya’s grasp. The girl let out a screech, reaching for the three with her fingers sharp.

“Run!” Misaki yelled, heading for the exit.

“No! No I’m not leaving her!” Chisato screamed.

“She’s a zombie, Chisato-san! It’s not her anymore!” 

“No! I’m not leaving without—“

Aya lunged at her, with Rimi quick enough to pull Chisato out of the way. She pushed the third year towards Misaki, who grabbed a tight hold and kept making way to the door, despite Chisato’s struggles.

“I-I’m sorry, Aya-senpai!” Rimi shouted, before firing several times into the idol’s chest.

“NO!” Chisato screamed, tears beginning to waterfall down her cheeks. “STOP IT! STOP IT!” 

Aya stumbles, falling back as blood streamed from her chest. Rimi quickly turns to join the two, who pull Chisato along to escape, while the third year screams and sobs for her fallen friend...

This was it; the end of the world had begun. 

It was time to fight to survive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAA the prologue!!  
> I’m so excited to be writing this, really. The zombie event has always been one of my favorites and I loved the translation for the story. I was always sort of disappointed by the ending and kind of wanted more so... I ended up coming up with concepts of Misaki and Rimi going through an actual apocalypse and this came to life.
> 
> I don’t know how accurate I write the characters but... I hope you still see this as both a Bandori story, and a story by itself! Enjoy!  
> -Pheo


	2. Chapter 2

“May 2nd. That marks about two weeks.”

Misaki ran a marker across the calendar she kept in her school notebook. She shut it closed, fixing her gaze back on to the quiet Rimi and Chisato eating their rations. Not much of a response from them; that’s usual. Rimi commonly tried to crack a few jokes and get a smile out of the two, but after Aya...

Misaki didn’t want to think about it. She cringed, even, at the thought. Aya’s body crippled down so quickly, never putting up a fight. As if she wanted to die in the first place...

Rimi swallowed her piece, placing the rest down on a plate. “We’ve survived for a long time. That’s good!”

Chisato just let out a grunt in response. She finished eating quickly, stood, then walked off and laid down on the flimsy futon they had set up. They were hiding out in Rimi’s house, which was surprisingly safe during the time. With her sister out of the country and her parents not home at the time of the apocalypse, it was a perfect place to hide out. The three came to the worst conclusion that Rimi’s parents had not made it, but surprisingly enough the choco cornet lover was holding on strong. “She’s definitely used to this kind of thing,” Misaki would comment to herself. She had thought about starting a journal to mark down her thoughts (there were a lot of them; too many to keep track), but they came and went so quickly that she just kind of gave up on it.

Misaki leaned back in Rimi’s office chair, tapping the button of her pen against her cheek. It was a little boring staying inside all the time, but it was way better than the hell going on outside. She occasionally leaned over to look outside the window whenever she didn’t feel like doing anything else, but could never watch for very long. Seeing dead people roam the streets and attacking anyone who was unlucky enough to wound up out there sent serious shivers up her spine.

“We’re going to run out of food soon,” Misaki said, opening her book back up. She flipped to the checklist page—she was keeping it as a way to keep track of their supplies—with an observant “hmph”. Another box to mark off. “Should we try to go on a run?”

“I think we should,” Rimi said. She was staring at her phone now, scrolling through her contacts. None of them had responded back but... none of her messages now were getting through. The bassist let out a small whimper, closing the group chat she had with her band members. She had sent out a call to see if they were okay but nobody responded, not even Saaya or Kasumi, who usually spoke up first. 

Misaki watched her friend, before sitting up straight with a sigh. “You know where Toyama-san’s house is from here, right?”

“Huh?”

“We can go see if she’s okay,” Misaki said. “Go on a food run, and on the way check on her. We can do the same with the other girls next time.”

“R-Really?” Rimi asked. “We can do that?”

“Well if she’s alive, we should help her out. It’ll be wrong not to.” Misaki looked over at Chisato, who was laying with her back towards them. Misaki ran her thumb along the inside of her hoodie sleeve, digging the heels of her sneakers in to each other. Gross... that putrid smell coming from both. Even so, her gaze was stolen to the floor, as she continued to speak. “I hope you know if... Toyama-san’s...”

“I know,” Rimi said softly. “I know.”

Misaki felt a pang of guilt in her chest for the girl, but there was nothing else she could say nor do. If it came down to it... they would have to kill another one of their friends, wouldn’t they?

She inhaled, managing to swallow the lump in her throat. Misaki stood up and put her notebook aside, then grabbed her backpack and emptied it out except for a few bullets. She slipped it on her back and held her hand out to Rimi. “You coming?”

Rimi nodded with a smile, taking Misaki’s hand. She grabbed her school bag and cleared stuff out, then turned to Chisato, who was still quiet. “We’re going to lock the door,” she told her quietly. “You know what to do if they break in.”

“Uh huh. Good luck,” was her grumbled response. 

Misaki sighed and shook her head. Rimi looked at her with an apologetic smile. “She’ll come around soon,” she said. “Come on. I’ll lead the way to Kasumi-chan’s house.”

The two were quick to slam the door behind them as they exited Rimi’s house. The zombies had been quiet that day, with only one or two passing by every couple of hours. That meant decently safe travel for the most part, but still the occasional caution. Misaki followed closely behind Rimi as usual. 

The two turned into a small corner store at the end of the block, raiding the shelves for whatever they could. Misaki pulled out her phone to use her flashlight, but Rimi objected, walking off to look deeper in the store. The bassist came back a moment later with flashlights and several packs of batteries, handing one to Misaki to use instead. Once they were done in the store, they left just as quick as they came, back on the journey to Kasumi’s house.

By the time the clock struck 5, the two were in front of the star obsessed girl’s home. Rimi walked up to the front door and tried the handle, but she turned and shook her head to Misaki. “Locked. I don’t think she keeps a spare key outside.”

“Should we kick the door in?” Misaki asked.

“Not if it’s a good safe house...” Rimi turned and backed away a bit. “Kasumi-chan, can you hear us? It’s Rimi and Misaki!”

Her voice echoed and... no response. Misaki sighed, before glancing around. She picked up a stray piece of wood that had fallen off the building, then walked up to the window. Bracing herself, with the wood as a shield, Misaki slammed herself into the window, making her way into the house. She stood back up and brushed any glass pieces off, then turned to Rimi. “Be careful.”

Rimi stepped through the window, reaching for Misaki’s arm as a support. The Toyama’s kitchen was rather quaint. It seemed for the most part nicely stocked and clean, with maybe a few dishes being left out. Misaki ran a finger along the marble countertops, before opening the cabinet to look for any canned food. She put what she needed into her backpack, before following Rimi who seemed to be heading for the stairs. “We don’t know what’s up there, Rimi,” Misaki said as she approaches her friend from behind. “If there’s a zombie-“

“I know,” Rimi said, her gaze fixed firmly on the staircase. Her thumbs trembled as she looked for a steady hold of her gun. “She’ll be okay.”

“...Alright. I’m just trying to warn you.”

The two trekked up the stairs together, the wooden platforms making small creaks with each individual step. Rimi looked around quickly as she reached the top, before leading the way to Kasumi’s room.

“Kasum-“ Rimi stopped dead in her tracks in front of the bedroom door. Misaki, looking the other way, ran straight into the girl, who didn’t seem to notice. The dj let out a small grumble before she saw what her friend was staring at.

She didn’t recognize the girl, of course, but based on what little she knew about Kasumi, Misaki could assume that the corpse laying right in front of them, with her tear stained eyes, her determined expression... yet the painful way to go with several bite marks lining her skin, and several pieces missing...

Even with features that could identify her so easily being gone, Misaki knew that was definitely Asuka Toyama. She had been eaten alive and never turned. Which was... odd, to say the least. In most of the stories and movies she had read, Misaki assumed that everyone that died would turn into the living dead, but for these...

“A-Asuka-chan...” Rimi’s voice cracked. “No...”

Misaki looked up and took a step around Rimi towards the door. She carefully avoided Asuka’s body, reaching to knock in an attempt for a response. “Hello? Toyama-san?”

There was no response. Misaki glanced at Rimi, who finally shook herself out of her daze and approached the door. She knocked on the door herself. “K-Kasumi-chan? Are you in there?” Rimi called out.

“A-Aa-chan...?” 

Rimi and Misaki both looked at each other. Rimi’s cheeks flushed with joy and she knocked on the door again. “Kasumi-chan! It’s me, Rimi! Please, let us in!”

“R-Rimirin?” was the shocked reply. “The real Rimirin?”

“Y-Yes! I’m here with Misaki—Okusawa-san, you know her—we’re here to save you. Please open the door!”

There was a crash from inside the room, but the door swung open, revealing a puffy eyed girl in her star patterned pajamas. “R-Rimirin!!” She sobbed out, pulling Rimi into a hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay!”

“Hold on,” Misaki said, pushing them apart. “You haven’t been bitten, have you?”

“Bitten?” Kasumi asked. “No... nobody’s bitten me. Not recently...”

“That means she’s okay!” Rimi cried out. “Kasumi-chaan!”

“Rimiriiiin!!!”

The both pulled each other into a hug again, sobbing their eyes out. Misaki rolled her eyes, looking away with crossed arms. This was gonna take a while. 

After the initial happiness, the two eventually pulled away. Rimi glanced back down at the ground, before quickly pushing Kasumi back into her room. “Do you have a change of clothes? And something you don’t ever wear?”

“Yeah, why?” Kasumi asked.

“Could I have the thing you don’t ever where? Then could you get changed and pack a bag full of spare clothes?” Rimi asked.

“Sure! Give me a minute!” Kasumi chirped. She turned and went to her closet, pulling out a shirt and tossing it to Rimi. Misaki quickly closed the door as the vocalist got changed, and Rimi, using the towel, pulled Asuka’s body to her bedroom.

Rimi came back as Kasumi finished up, opening the door while slipping a bag over her shoulder. “I’m all ready! Where are we going? Somewhere fun?”

“We’re heading back to Rimi’s place,” Misaki said. “None of this is going to be fun for a while.”

“What’s going on? I remember Mom and Dad got really sick all of a sudden after someone broke into our house, but after Aa-chan locked me in here I don’t know what happened.”

“She locked you in your room?” Rimi asked. “For how long?”

Kasumi tilted her head back to think. “Um... I think I was in there for a long time. She just shoved food into my hands and told me not to leave. I heard her scream but... she never responded after a while so I thought she left.”

“Wait didn’t you just open the door?” Misaki asked. “I thought she locked you in.”

“She did!”

...And I thought the sanbaka was rough, Misaki thought. This is just... on another level.

“I’ll explain to you everything when we get back to my place,” Rimi said, taking Kasumi’s hand. “But when we’re going back you need to stay by my side and never leave it, okay?”

“Okay, Rimirin!”

“Should I go first then?” Misaki asked.

Rimi nodded. “I can support us from behind. You have a good eye, and they’re still tame today, so we should be okay.”

“Alright.” Misaki inhaled, before double checking her gun then heading for the stairs.

“You guys have guns?” Kasumi asked.

“Y-You’ll see why later,” Rimi quietly told her.

Now for the journey back...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 is written and Kasumi is here!! I’m not sure when the next girl will appear but we have a decent start I think with the girls we have. Again, sorry for any inaccuracies; a few of these are my basic understandings of the girls and what I’ve seen people write them as, mostly.  
> Thanks for reading!  
> -Pheo


	3. Chapter 3

“You brought back someone else?” Chisato asked as the trio re-entered Rimi’s house. The third year stood aside to let them in, but she glared cautiously at Kasumi as she passed by. Misaki waved a hand in reply, shaking her head.

“She’s not infected. Calm down,” Misaki said. “She would’ve died on her own if we had left her, plus Toyama-san is Rimi’s friend.”

“And you were willing to leave Aya-chan, when she’s my friend?” Chisato snapped.

“Maruyama-san was a goner by the time we found her,” Misaki said cooly. “There was nothing we can do. Are you going to complain about our help or do you want to be grateful for it? We can just kick you out.”

“Misaki, no...” Rimi said. “Come on, let’s not fight. We should get Kasumi-chan situated.”

“I’m confused...” Kasumi whined. “Everyone out there was just groaning and seemed really sick, just like mom and dad... and where’s Aa-chan?”

Chisato pulled out an extra futon and set it on the ground across the room to hers. She wiped her hands on her skirt after, then promptly left without another word. Misaki scowled, but Rimi quickly squeezed her shoulder and gave her a head shake.

The Dj turned and went back to sit at Rimi’s desk, while Rimi brought Kasumi over to her futon and both sat down on the ground.

“How are you feeling?” Rimi asked, unloading her bag. She handed each item to Misaki who put them with the rest of their stash. “I know it’s kind of scary out there...”

“I’m mostly just confused,” Kasumi confessed. “Everyone seemed to have went inside or something, and anyone outside just seem like they’re ill. Why aren’t they resting?”

Rimi fumbled with the strap on her bag. “I don’t... I don’t want to scare you...”

“Scare me? Why, Rimirin? What’s going on?”

“Do you know that one movie we watched during my birthday last year?” Rimi asked. “When all of Popipa had a sleepover together...”

“Awh, why are you bringing that up?” Kasumi whined. “That movie was so scary! I didn’t like it at all...”

“Well it had zombies in it, right?” Rimi said. “It was the prequel to the movie Misaki and I saw, if you don’t remember. You were too scared so I didn’t want to ask you to come see the sequel.” Okay, now get into the main point, Rimi... the girl thought to herself, letting out a soft sigh. “Um... that movie is... it’s real life, now.”

“What?” Her bandmate tilted her head with a dumbfounded blink.

“Z-Zombies are real, Kasumi-chan! That’s what those people are. They want to kill you and eat you.”

“W-W-What? Zombies?” Kasumi shouted. “Zombies are real?”

“P-Please don’t shout!” Rimi squeaked. “Th-They’re very real! That’s why...”

“That’s why mom and dad were sick? They’re zombies?”

“I’d assume so, yeah...”

“What happened to Aa-chan then?” Kasumi demanded. “Is that why she put me in my room? Was because of our parents? Rimirin, where’s Aa-chan?”

Rimi chewed the inside of her cheek as her bottom lip trembled. “A-Asuka-chan...”

“Rimirin?”

Tears began to well in Rimi’s eyes. She looked down at the ground, digging her hands into her bag as her trembles grew. “A-Asuka-c-chan i-is...” Rimi choked out the words, struggling with the lump in her throat. She let out a sob, bringing her head down to her knees in an apologetic pose. “I-I’m so sorry, Kasumi-chan! I’m so, so sorry! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry— I’m sorry I couldn’t get to her in time. S-She’s dead! I’m so sorry!”

“W-What? What do you mean she’s...” Kasumi’s voice fell, just as her heart sank beneath the earth. Rimi continued to sob, repeating over and over her apologies. “A-A-chan...” Kasumi cries, falling back towards the wall. “N-No... no...” she puts her face in her hands, letting out a screaming sob. “No! Asuka! Mom, dad... no!”

Misaki sat and watched in silence. She shifted in her seat, before sighing with a small smile. “Don’t let sadness cover your face. A smiling face is the best.”

Rimi sat up, rubbing her eyes. “H-Huh...?”

“Kokoro can be a bit crazy and a nuisance sometimes, but her lyrics always are some of the best.” The dj looked down at both of them, who stared back at her with their tear stained eyes. “And a lot I’ve learned from being in Hello Happy World is that no matter what, you should always keep a smile on your face. I know I can be a bit grumpy myself but...” Misaki’s smile grew softer. “It still makes me happy, too. Asuka wouldn’t want either of you to be upset right now, would she?”

Kasumi nodded. “A-Aa-chan would yell at me if I’m putting an opportunity to waste...”

“And she gave you the opportunity to live,” Misaki said. “I might just be some dumb DJ who hides in a bear costume during every performance, but I know for a fact that now we need to be positive. After all, Rimi kept telling us that, and I still have a little bit of belief in my bandmates.”

“Misaki...” Rimi’s cheeks flushed. Her silly message got through to her...? She sat up straight and nodded, her smile growing wide. “Right! Kasumi-chan, we’ll find the rest of PoPiPa and everyone else, and it’ll all be okay!”

“Woah, I don’t know about—“ Misaki started, but both of the girls grouped together and hugged with excited murmurs.

“Yes! We’ll find O-Tae and Arisa and Saaya and we’ll all be okay!” Kasumi said. “I’ll do what Aa-chan asked! Even though she didn’t ask me anything...” 

The door opened again and Chisato came in with a book, sitting down on her futon. She glanced at the other three, before opening the book and leaning back against the wall to read. Rimi sighed but kept her smile, turning away from the third year and back to her other friends. “I know Saaya-chan’s place is close by as well. We can probably head there next time.”

“I know Hazawa-san and Hagumi should be around there, so maybe we can find them too,” Misaki said. “It’ll be nice to have a bit more... energy in here.” That came with a look at Chisato.

“Is she okay?” Kasumi asked.

“We were with her when the infection first started spreading around,” Rimi said. “Aya-senpai was there too but...”

The three of them grew quiet. Kasumi thought for a moment, then leaned over and grabbed her guitar case. “I brought my guitar with me,” she said. “Do you have an extra amp?”

“I should... what are you doing?” Rimi asked.

“Nothing brings up the mood better than a heart-pounding singing session!” Kasumi chirped. Misaki passed her an amp from Rimi’s desk, and she plugged it into her guitar and strung a few strings. “I’ll start with my favorite! Twinkle twinkle little star...”

Rimi giggles and sings along, “How I wonder where you are~”

“Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky,” Kasumi continues, before the two join together and sing.

“Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder where you are!”

“That’s your favorite song?” Misaki asked.

“It’s the first song Rimirin, Arisa, and I performed together on stage,” Kasumi said. “Plus, I love stars!” 

Misaki huffs. “Jeez, that reminds me on how Kokoro always had us stay behind a little longer to sing nursery rhymes whenever we went to daycares.”

“Do you want to sing too?” Kasumi asked.

“Uh, no. I’m good. I’m not a singer,” Misaki said. “I’ll just listen to you two.”

“Then we can perform something else next,” Kasumi said. “What about Happy Happy Party?”

“Can I get my bass too?” Rimi asked. “We can play together.”

“Of course, Rimirin!”

The sun sets as the two girls sing in joy while Misaki listens along. Smiles placed on their faces, cheerful and ready for the next day ahead.

• • •

“S-Sis! Help!”

“H-Hold on, Jun!” 

The young baker reached forward, grabbing her brother by the back of his shirt and pulling him over the counter. Her two younger siblings cried and hugged on to her, watching as the living dead approached the counter, ready to tear it apart.

“I-It’ll be okay!” Saaya told them both. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you both!”

“I’m scared, sis! Where’s mommy and daddy?” Sana cried.

“Don’t worry about them. You—“

A zombie crashed through the display glass, causing the two children to scream louder. Saaya grabbed the cash register and flung it and the zombie, and it flew back, collapsing on the ground. She pulled her siblings away, running for the kitchen.

She slammed the door behind them and blocked it quickly, moving anything she can in front of it. Saaya hurried over and grabbed several knives, then ushered Jun and Sana into the cabinets to hide.

Please, she thought to herself, as she readied for the zombies to break in once more. Please, somebody help us.


	4. Chapter 4

“I’m so bored!” Kasumi rolled around on the ground, with her whining constant. It had been a few more days at this point, and it had, indeed, been getting a bit boring.

Rimi placed aside the book she had reread for the third time now, letting out a sigh. “There’s not really anything we can do,” she said. “We can’t go outside without risk and with electricity being cut off there’s nothing else.”

“They cut off water too,” Misaki said. “I tried having a shower yesterday and nothing. We need to find another way to bathe ourselves.” She sniffed her sleeve, gagging. “And find a change of clothes. There’s no way we’re gonna be able to wash these.” 

“We could go to the mall,” Rimi suggested. “There should be clothing there.”

“I don’t want to wear a frilly dress in the apocalypse, Rimi.”

“We can grab more supplies from the hunting store,” the bassist suggested. “There should be decent clothes to change into and whatever other supplies we might need to defend ourselves. We might be able to find ways to clean ourselves without the water service, too, without wasting our drinking water.”

“Can’t we just go swimming? That’s water,” Kasumi said.

“The pools are probably too dirty,” Misaki said. “Maybe a natural water source would work but... not a pond or anything with animals. Maybe some falls? I don’t think there are any nearby.”

“We’ll figure something out,” Rimi said. “But I think going to the mall is a good idea.” She stood and began packing up things, grabbing Chisato’s shopping bags for more carrying space. She reloaded the gun and looked to Misaki, who was flipping through her notebook again. “We going?”

“Right now?” Misaki asked. “How bad are the zombies?”

Rimi walked over and peeked out the window. Small gatherings roamed the streets, yet they still seemed calm. She looked back at the girl, who was rubbing the backside of her pen against her denim shorts. “I think it’s safe to go out. Why? Did you want to come up with a plan?”

“Well, I’m assuming all four of us should go, especially if we’re getting clothes. If Toyama-san and Chisato-senpai can’t defend themselves properly then we need to be careful. Especially if their numbers are growing or they’re more rabid today.”

Rimi tilts her head to think. “I mean, if you’re okay supporting from the back, I can go on ahead and give us a clear path like I usually do.”

Misaki grumbled, leaning back in the office chair. “Fine, that should work. Still, you two need to learn how to use a gun pronto or else all of us are gonna get ourselves killed when the zombies are in a bad mood.” 

“It’s not like it matters,” Chisato said. “We’re going to die anyway. We can’t just stay like this forever.”

“Yeah, well, I’d rather prolong that death and at least try to see my friends and family again, you know? Now stop being a mopey piece of shit and get your stuff together.”

These two, Rimi thought, letting out a sigh. She pushes the cloud of tension aside, going over to help Kasumi prepare her things. Once all four of them were ready, Rimi went on ahead and led their way to the mall. It was a bit of a long travel, but still a relatively easy one; as hurrying past the limping dead was a piece of cake to even Chisato, who seemed to be grumpily carrying herself from behind, with the occasional shove from Misaki. 

The doors were unlocked when they had arrived and nothing seemed to be shut down after the initial spread of the infection. The girls headed into the hunting store easily, with Rimi heading for the weapons and the other girls for new attire. The short haired bassist walked back over to find Misaki folding up sleeping bags, shoving them into extra shopping bags she had found.

“What are those for?” Rimi asked.

“Well, it’s getting to be summer but... if we can’t find another store like this when winter comes around—if we aren’t at your place anymore, theoretically speaking—then they’ll be useful,” Misaki responded. “The clothes are down that way. Find something for both warm and cold weather.”

Rimi turned and headed for the clothing direction as Misaki slipped on a leather coat over her clear shoulders, adjusting the straps on her new camo tank top. The short black haired girl looked through the different clothes for anything ideal to wear. She grabbed a black tank, a hoodie with the store’s brand on it, and some cargo pants. Rimi walked by the dressing rooms to find Chisato standing aside, who still hadn’t changed. Kasumi just came out with a white t-shirt, jeans, and some black sneakers. 

“Do you mind if we get clothes from one of the other stores?” Chisato asked. “As much as I don’t mind these... I’d like something a bit more comfortable to wear.”

“These feel comfortable to me,” Kasumi said, stretching. 

“Not to me,” Chisato said. She looked to Rimi. “Is it alright if we go?” 

“I don’t see why not,” Rimi said. “We can look through a couple of stores to see if we can find anything else. I know there’s a book store here, so we can find other things to do instead of be bored all the time.”

She passed by Kasumi into one of the dressing stalls, quickly changing out of her old clothes and tossing them aside. She came back out, pulling the hoodie over, and her nostrils fluttered at the scent of new clothes. “Did you find any winter attire your size?” She asked the two.

“We gave them to Misaki-chan!” Kasumi said. The vocalist gasped, skidding off to one of the kiosks. “Oh my god, look how cute these fish necklaces are! I wonder if they have star ones anywhere?”

“K-Kasumi-chan...”

“Oi, are you three ready to go?” Misaki came to the group, holding several bags. She looked at Chisato and rolled her eyes, before handing the bags to her and grumbling, “Why am I not surprised?”

Rimi grabbed a quick change into some hunting boots, before nodding to Misaki and the four of them left the store. They walked around the mall a bit, Chisato getting a change of clothes, Rimi stocking up on a few books, and Misaki even looked through a few materials for felting. Kasumi came out of the toy store with several DS’. “I heard something about there being no electricity so I grabbed a couple for when they died!”

“Whatever keeps you entertained,” Misaki mumbled, putting them into another bag. 

After their looting spree, the four of them walked back to Rimi’s house together. They unloaded everything and Chisato and Kasumi both got busy immediately, but Rimi began to pack and prepare again. Misaki quirked a brow, watching the girl. “What are you doing?” She asked.

“I want to go to Yamabuki bakery,” Rimi replied, putting in some bandages. “I want to see if Saaya-chan is okay.”

“After we just got back? Shouldn’t you rest a bit?”

“If she’s in danger, I want to help her out.” Rimi looked to Misaki. “What if Tsugumi-chan and Hagumi-chan are in danger there, too? Shouldn’t we save them?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Hagumi already got bitten...” Misaki mumbled.

“Misaki-chan! We have to stay positive, like you said!” Rimi exclaimed. “We need to go save them if they’re out there, you know! We’re their only hope right now!”

The DJ sighed, looking to the side with a hesitant smile. “Using my own words against me, huh? Alright, I’m coming too.”

“Thank you so much!”

Misaki slipped back on both the utility belt and the fanny pack she had grabbed from the store earlier. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s just go get this done quickly. After all, she might need our help.” She turned to Chisato, adjusting the cap on her head. “Oi, Chisato-senpai.”

Chisato looked up from her book. “Hm?”

Misaki tossed her a walkie talkie. “Here. Contact us if trouble hits.” 

The blonde looked surprised, but then curtly nodded and placed the device aside. Misaki gave Rimi a thumbs up and the two headed out.

• • •

Rimi pulled Misaki behind a building, shooting any zombies that got close as the two flung back. 

“Jesus Christ!” Misaki shouted, barely regaining her footing as Rimi dashed in front of her. “Why are they so much more rabid here?”

“There’s more people living around here,” Rimi said, wiping out a few more quickly before reaching for a ammo refill. “I think they’ve moved out from the mall and hit more areas with more people living in them.”

“We’re not going to Yamabuki-san at this rate,” Misaki said. “We need to head back.”

“I’m not going to leave Saaya-chan!” Rimi said. “Please, Misaki-chan!”

“Rimi...” Misaki let out a groan, before taking a place beside Rimi. “Come on. I’ll support you from behind.”

“Thank you!” 

The two ran out into the crowd again, narrowly avoiding the dead as they dashed for the bakery. Several zombies were crowding the store and they had to quickly maneuver through, but Rimi made it to behind the counter and pulled Misaki over, while backing the zombies off. “Check the kitchen!” Rimi told her.

Misaki headed for the door. She tried to open it but it wouldn’t budge. “Damnit...” she hissed under her breath. She slammed her hand on the door, shouting, “Hello? Is there anyone in there?”

“W-Who’s there?” A voice shouted back.

“I-It’s Misaki! Okusawa Misaki! Please, let me in!” 

“M-Misaki-chan, the crowd’s growing!” Rimi cried out.

There was shuffling and shoving from inside, but the door quickly flew open to reveal a heavily breathing Saaya. Rimi looked back and quickly dashed for the kitchen. She toppled past Misaki and into Saaya, while the DJ slammed the door shut as a zombie dashed at them. “Fuck, fuck, FUCK, FUCK-“ Misaki shouted. “Go away, go away!”

“H-Hey...!” Saaya shouted. “Stop!”

“What do you mean stop?” Misaki snapped. “There’s a fuc—“

“There are children in here!”

The cabinet door slid open as Saaya yelled, in which Misaki’s face grew completely pale. Oh god, what did I just do? She thought to herself. Of course, it was the middle of the apocalypse and she was horrified at the fact that she just ruined innocence. 

Rimi pushes herself off of Saaya, and without saying a word, pulled Misaki away to quickly barricade the door once more. Once the pounding ceased, the duo fell to the floor with a large sigh of relief. “I swear to god I almost peed myself,” Misaki said. “I would’ve been so mad after we just got these clothes.”

Rimi couldn’t help but laugh. “I didn’t think you’d be so scared, Misaki-chan!”

“You aren’t?”

“You said we had to smile, right?” 

Misaki couldn’t help her own smile from forming. “You’re really determined to listen to that advice.” 

Rimi looked over at Saaya, who was kneeling next to both of her siblings, talking to them in a hushed voice. She stood and walked over to her bandmate, struggling to fight the burning sensation in her eyes. “I-I’m so glad you guys are okay,” Rimi said. “I was worried with how big the crowd was, you wouldn’t have made it.”

Saaya pats Sana’s and Jun’s heads, mumbling a “shh” before looking up at Rimi. “Hah... I would do anything to keep these two safe. Even if it’s putting my life on the line,” she said. “You two seemed pretty prepared. Did you come to save us yourselves...?”

“We wanted to see if we could find any more survivors,” Rimi said. “We checked the cafe and the butcher shop and didn’t find anything, but... aah... I’m so relieved you’re okay, Saaya-chan!” Rimi felt her knees give out from under her as the waterfalls came. Saaya smiles and pulls her bandmate into a side hug, as the bassist begins to sob into her shoulder.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t contact you guys,” Saaya said. “I couldn’t reach mom or dad either, so I had to focus on my siblings. I’m so happy you’re okay too.” She paused, and with a slight bit of sad hope, asks, “Is... everyone else from PoPiPa okay?”

Rimi pulls away with a sniffle, looking up at Saaya. She hesitates to answer, but puts on a determined smile. “Kasumi-chan is safe! We’re still going to find Arisa-chan and O-Tae-chan, I promise! They’ll be okay too!”

“Ah... I hope so. Thank you, Rimirin.” Saaya turned back to her siblings. “Alright, you two. We’re gonna go out into the scary place, but Rimirin and Misaki are gonna help us. You just stay close to me, okay?”

“O-Okay,” Sana said, and Jun nodded with a sniffle.

Rimi turned to Misaki, who was standing near the back door to the kitchen, looking out the window. “They haven’t noticed the second entrance, it seems like,” she said. “We should be able to leave through here and make way back to your place, Rimi.”

“Alright,” Rimi said. “Saaya-chan, can you stay between us? Misaki-chan will be able to catch any zombies that get too close while I’ll lead the way.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Saaya said. “Sana, Jun, make sure you two keep holding hands. Never let go of each other, okay? The same to whoever holds my hand.”

Both nodded, and Saaya followed Rimi as she headed for the back door. Misaki took place behind the group, and on the count of three...

Rimi opened the door, and the five began to make their quick move back to Rimi’s home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reupload bc ao3 is weird
> 
> Anyway!! This has been getting way more attention than I thought it would lmAO,, thank you so much!! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and future chapters to come!!  
> -pheo


	5. Chapter 5

“S-Saaya!”

Upon entering the room, Kasumi ran to the baker and pulled her into a hug. Saaya froze in her tracks, feeling her finger tips tremble as she slowly hugged Kasumi back. “K-Kasumi...” Saaya squeezed her bandmate as tears welled in her eyes. “Rimirin said you were okay but... I still can’t believe it.”

“I’m so happy you’re okay as well!” Kasumi sobbed out. “I was so worried, especially cause Rimirin and Misaki were gone for so long!”

“Why were you gone for so long?” Chisato asked. She was standing near her futon with her arms crossed, the bags still seeping from under her eyes as she gives Saaya a cool glare, before her gaze fixes to her siblings.

“There was a large hoard,” Misaki said, slipping by the two. She placed her bag down and stretched, letting out a sigh. “We couldn’t have found anyone else even if we tried.”

Kasumi pulls Saaya towards her futon as Sana and Jun follow their sister closely. Chisato’s eyebrows furrowed as she watched the group, while Rimi pulls in more blankets and pillows. The black haired bassist hands the two children some granola snacks before setting up places for them to sleep, as Kasumi insists on sharing with a flushed Saaya. The Pastel*Palettes member grunts in annoyance, to which Misaki lets out a sigh and tips her head towards the blonde. 

“What’s wrong now?” She asks.

“When you two went out I expected you to bring back more food,” Chisato replied. “Not three more mouths to feed.”

“...Seriously. They were in danger so we helped them, just like we did with you,” Misaki said. “Why are you complaining?”

“The more mouths to feed the quicker we’re going to run out of food. Do you want to go out there again?”

Misaki closed her notebook, staring down at the desk. “You sound like you’re talking from experience.”

“I’m just saying it would have been better if you didn’t bring those two kids in here when they can’t even help,” Chisato said. 

Saaya looked over, opening her mouth to speak before being interrupted by Misaki’s scoff. “And what have you been doing, miss spoiled pretty princess? As far as I’m aware you’ve been reading all day while Rimi and I go out and nearly get ourselves killed to help you.”

“You don’t have to do that, then! I’m just giving you some advice.”

Misaki whipped around to face Chisato. “Are you fucking shitting me? Telling us that we shouldn’t have saved more people right in front of them is your advice? You want to offer us advice when you won’t even step up and try to help?”

“Y-You guys...” Rimi stuttered.

“They’re just going to drag us behind!” Chisato snapped. “I’m not getting myself killed because you decided to bring in more defenseless people.”

“For your information I can defend myself perfectly fine,” Saaya speaks up. “If it bothers you that much, then while I am thankful to Misaki-san and Rimi-rin for saving us, my siblings and I can leave and take care of ourselves.”

“S-Saaya-chan, you don’t have to leave!” Rimi said. “I-I’m sorry, she usually gets upset like this!” 

Chisato simply dipped her head before grabbing another book and sitting down without a word. Saaya let out a sigh and turned towards her startled siblings, quietly murmuring to help them calm down. Misaki in the other hand turned and grabbed her things—notebook, gun—shoving them into her bag before heading for the door. “W-Where are you going?” Rimi hurries over, grabbing Misaki’s wrist. “It’s not safe to go on your own...!”

Misaki pulled her hand away. “I’m just going on a walk. I’ll be back in a bit.”

“But Misaki-chan...!”

“Drop it, Rimi. I’ll be fine.” The DJ gave Chisato a look before shutting the door behind her. She let out a frustrated sigh before heading out of the house and into the calm streets.

“Ungrateful jerk...” Misaki grumbled to herself, shoving her hands into her pockets. She kicked at pebbles on the ground as she walked, hardly paying attention to where she was going. Her pace picked up whenever a groan of a zombie arose, but for the most part she was just following her own undrawn path until she calmed down.

Misaki eventually retreated into a small gas station, grabbing some Rice Krispies and a tea before exiting to sit on the curb. She watched mellow zombies pass by, completely unaware of her presence as she opened the can of tea and took a sip. The girl cringed at it’s lukewarm texture, but drank it anyway before ripping the package of a Rice Krispie open and taking a bite. It was oddly refreshing, being able to sit outside and enjoy the air without anything attacking her. Maybe today was just a calm day and nothing was triggering the dead to attack, but it didn’t help the repulsive smell that came every time one passed by. Of course... rotting flesh. Such a delicacy.

Misaki stood up after finishing her snack. Despite it being the end of the world, at least she still has the decency to toss her trash away. She turned to head back when she spotted golden locks passing by, before completely standing still. “No way...” Misaki breathed out, stopping in her tracks. The locks began to move again as the person moved, and their movements didn’t seem... dead...

Her legs moved on their own. Misaki walked towards the person, hope filling up her chest... she opened her mouth to shout, “Happy! Lucky!”

But the person didn’t respond.

“Come on, you idiot!” Misaki choked out. “Happy...!” She got closer, praying. Praying that scent wasn’t from them, praying that the discoloration was just her eyes... but also knowing of course, the sanbaka would get themselves killed immediately, wouldn’t they? 

The moment Kokoro turns, Misaki falls to her knees with dread. The blonde zombie looks at her, but seems uninterested as it turns and walks away again. Misaki puts her face in her hands, letting out a shaky sigh. “You just had to be hopeful, didn’t you?”

She looked up with her teeth digging into her bottom lip as she watched her former band member. I’m crying over an idiot, she thought to herself. I’m crying over someone who I thought was annoying for the longest time...

Misaki shakily stood and left.

• • •

Saaya stood back up with a smile. “Looks like they’re finally out,” she says, putting a hand on her hip as she looks over the slumbering Kasumi, Sana and Jun. She glances to Rimi, who was standing at the window with a watchful gaze. 

The baker carefully steps over the three before approaching her friend. “You okay?” She asked.

“...I’m worried about Misaki,” Rimi replies, with her eyes fixed on watching the zombies pass by. “I know she can keep herself safe, but to be alone...”

“You really care about her, huh?” Saaya smiled, wrapping an arm around the girl. “I’m sure she’s okay. She seems like the type of person who just needs the time to themself to take a breather. She’ll be back soon.”

As if on cue, the door opens. Misaki passes by without a word, tossing her bag on the desk before slinking down towards her futon. She pulls the blanket over her head and silence fills the air. Rimi and Saaya both stare at her, before Saaya squeezes the bassist’s shoulder and mumbles, “Perhaps she might need some cheering up.” 

Rimi nods and turns away from the window, approaching Misaki with quiet steps. She sits herself down with crossed legs next to the girl’s futon, and in the silence, Rimi hears the small sniffles. “Misaki? Are... Are you okay?” Rimi whispers, leaning in close.

“I-I’m fine,” Misaki croaked. “J-Just tired.”

“Did something happen while you were out?”

Silence. Misaki shifted, and Rimi heard her take in a shaky breath. “I uh... I found Kokoro, I guess.”

Rimi’s heart sank. She looked up at Saaya who was sitting next to Kasumi and her siblings, before her gaze fixed to the sleeping vocalist. Kokoro... Hello Happy World’s leader and vocalist was dead, and Misaki had yet to find anyone else she considered a friend, hadn’t she? Rimi never saw the girl interact much with anyone from PoPiPa, and she didn’t seem to like Chisato that much either, especially from what had been happening so far. Rimi squeezed her hands together, the pang of sympathy firing through her like a bullet. “I-I’m sorry, Misaki.”

“Maybe this is just karma. It’s what I get for being a horrible band member to them. After all, I always thought how much better it would be if I didn’t have to deal with the sanbaka.” Misaki let out a pathetic laugh. “I really started to care for them too, you know? Maybe this is whatever god is out there saying that I wasn’t good enough. I never showed them how much I appreciated them.”

“Misaki...”

“All of my band is probably fucking dead... Kaoru-san and Hagumi probably had no idea what was going on, and even if Kanon-san survived for a few days, I doubt she would’ve been able to fight off anything. You know what, though? Being dead is probably better than living in this situation. I’m just being punished, aren’t I?” 

“T-That’s not true, though! You were an amazing band member and friend to them!” Rimi said. “I’m sure they’re safe, even if it seems unlikely! You aren’t being punished because you don’t deserve to be punished, period!”

Misaki turned under the covers, facing away from Rimi. “I appreciate the cheer up, but it’s true.”

“Misaki, you’ve done nothing but be helpful to us all. You can’t tell me that you deserve to be punished,” Rimi said. “It’s... it’s sad that Tsurumaki-san is gone, I know... but it’s not your fault, either. You couldn’t have done anything.” She reached forward and placed her hand on Misaki’s shoulder. “I promise we’ll find everyone else. They’ll all be safe and we can find a way to get out of here.”

“They’re most likely dead. Why should we waste our time?”

“Please, just have hope that they’re still alive! If we give up now while they are still alive then they’ll die!”

Misaki threw off the blanket and looked over her shoulder up at Rimi. Her eyes were puffed up and red, but there was still a small twinkle left. “I’m so lucky to have gotten into this mess with you,” Misaki said. “I’m a bit pathetic but... you put up with it.”

Rimi smiled. “We’re friends, right? I just want us to be positive! It doesn’t matter how scared or ready to give up we are. I want to move forward.”

She looks at her bandmates again and says, “I want to be able to see PoPiPa reunite again. I love them all so much.” Rimi catches Misaki’s eyes before her smile grows wider. “I can tell you love Hello Happy a lot too, so I want to see you find the rest of them... and still remember Tsurumaki-san by your side, even if she’s gone.” 

Misaki laughs. “It’s kind of hard to not imagine her everywhere anyway. She just leaves that kind of presence, even if she’s not around.” She sits up next to Rimi, but looks down with a solemn smile. “I feel kind of grateful, actually. I met two close friends because of her and... another.... friend.” 

Rimi gasped. “Oh my god! Kaoru-san! Oh I hope she’s okay. I totally forgot about her in all of this!”

“Really? You usually obsess over her though,” Misaki said. “I’m surprised.”

“I-I was just so preoccupied. Oh noo... Kaoru-san...”

Misaki sighed. “If you say she’s still alive, then I’m sure she’s doing fine. She might not be so smart in the head sometimes, but...” The dj smiled a little with a small flush of pink on her cheeks. “She knows how to offer good advice every once in a while, so I guess she can follow it, too.” 

“You know a lot about Kaoru-san, don’t you?” Rimi asked. “I couldn’t handle being in the same band as her! She’s just... so stunning...”

“I guess that’s one way to put it.”

...I do wonder if she’s doing alright, though, Misaki thought to herself as Rimi continued to ramble about the guitarist, until she couldn’t anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oops I haven’t updated  
> honestly it’s mostly just because I’ve been having a bit of a block and 0 motivation to do anything but I’m trying to get back into the swing of things :”) hopefully this makes up for it for right now because more exciting stuff will most likely happen in the next few chapters and i get picky about how those scenes go so it might take a bit of rewriting before I’m happy lol


	6. Chapter 6

“N-No way...!”

All of the girls were crowded around Rimi, who was looking down at her phone. A message lit up the screen.

“It’s a government message,” Rimi said, showing the others. “They said that there’s a rescue ship coming to transport survivors to a safe country!”

“We’ll be able to escape and get out of here...” Chisato let out a sigh of relief. “Thank god...”

“Where’s the boat, though?” Saaya asked.

“...Tottori,” Rimi said.

“What?” Misaki shouted. “That’s so far away! Why wouldn’t they just have it here?”

“Tokyo has a large population, which means a lot more zombies,” Chisato said. “They probably wanted somewhere with a smaller population that was still near the sea.” 

“We’re still going though, right?” Saaya asked. “I don’t see why we shouldn’t. The distance isn’t that bad.”

“We don’t have access to any maps, though. We’ll probably get lost and get ourselves killed,” Misaki said. “As much as I’d also love to go, we’re a lot safer here than traveling god knows how far for a boat that’ll probably only have a few people boarding.”

“I agree with Okusawa-san,” Chisato said. “It doesn’t seem like they’ll be helping us get there, either...”

“The rescue boat arrives in about two weeks and leaves two days after arrival,” Rimi said. “If we leave as soon as possible we should be able to make it before it departs.” 

“Maybe we’ll fine Arisa and O-Tae if we go!” Kasumi said. “I wanna go! If it means we’ll be safe then I want to!”

Saaya placed her hand on Kasumi’s before looking back at Misaki and Chisato. “I understand your fears, but it’ll be better for us in the long run if we go. I’m planning on taking Sana and Jun and going, even if you don’t join me. I know Kasumi will and I don’t want to leave you, but... if it’s for my siblings, it’s for the best.”

“I want to try and find O-Tae-chan and Arisa-chan as well,” Rimi said. “Plus there might be something else out there that we’re missing... if this is like any horror book I know, we won’t find anything if we stay here.”

“I don’t know what horror books you’re reading, but when someone goes to find something that usually gets them killed,” Misaki said.

“I-I was trying to be motivational...”

Misaki sighed. “I guess you’re right, though. Nothing good will come out of staying here for any longer.” She pulled out her notebook and stood up. “You have a map?”

“Yuri has one on her desk.”

“Does this mean we’re all going?” Kasumi asked.

“We can find the best route there,” Misaki says as she returns with a map. “Although it’s not as good as a digital map, we can make out the major checkpoints at least.”

“I didn’t know your sister had a map of the country,” Saaya said. Misaki sits down next to the group and lays the map down, pulling out a marker. “Detailed, too. Wow.” 

“She doesn’t mind if I write on this, right?” 

“Of course she minds, coming back to get her favorite map in the middle of the apocalypse,” Chisato snorts. “Pardon my rudeness, are you sure this is a good idea? I didn’t expect you to change your mind so quickly.”

Misaki pulled the cap off between her teeth. She took it and put it on the back of the marker, giving Chisato a sideways glance. “Hey, someone gave me a bit of hope that I can still find my friends. Maybe we can find some of yours too.”

Chisato blinked. She gave the girl a curious stare before quietly looking down with her arms crossed. Misaki then focuses back on the map, circling their current location. “So Tottori is here,” she says, circling the destination. “With that distance it’ll probably take about a week, most likely more due to the zombies and occasional stops to restock for resources.”

“How far can we get with what we have?” Saaya asked.

“We don’t want to carry too much weight,” Rimi said. “We can’t run away as easily in case of emergency, and I don’t think dropping our stuff just to save ourselves would be good.”

“No, it wouldn’t. Especially if it’s food or ammo. We can all carry a portion of what we need. Toyama-san and Shirasagi-san can carry mostly food and water while we can handle ammo and other things we might need,” Misaki said. “We should try to avoid major cities since those will have larger zombie population. If we need to restock we can aim for small cities or towns.”

She crosses off a few large cities inbetween and circles a few small areas. “If we take this route, we’ll have a few stops to replenish, and this should take us about eight to ten days or so.” 

“Maybe even better if we find a car,” Saaya said. “I’m in.”

“When are we leaving?” Chisato asked.

“Tomorrow morning,” Rimi said. “The zombies will be groggy and we’ll have enough light to travel. The farther we get in the beginning days, the better.”

Misaki grinned. “Damn, we make a hell of a good team, don’t we?”

The black haired bassist giggled. “Sorry, I get ahead of myself when it comes to this.”

“So we should pack up and get an early night tonight,” Saaya said. “Come on, Sana, Jun. That means eat your dinner and head to bed.” The baker stands and walks over to her siblings, taking out a can of beans. She sits and talks with them as Kasumi crawls over to join. 

Misaki folds up the map and places it in her bag. She jots down a few travel notes in her notebook before also putting it in. “You sure you’re okay with coming along?” She asked Chisato.

“Well I don’t really want to die alone here,” Chisato said. “I might as well.”

Yeah, I just don’t want to deal with your shit as usual, Misaki grumbled in thought.

The blonde sighed and pulled her arms against her chest, still crossed. “I’m sorry for my behavior lately. I’ve just been finding it difficult to be positive after... Aya. It’s hard seeing you guys come back with people you care about while I had to sit and watch my friend die.”

“I didn’t think you’d be so honest. Damn.” Misaki stretched her arms out in front of her, letting out a large breath. “Look, I’ve had to deal with a lot relating to the sanbaka, so my patience is decently high for the most part.” She relaxes back and stares at Chisato. “But you seriously need to be more cooperative. We did what we did to protect you and us. If you’re just going to be stubborn and hold a grudge for something that was unavoidable, I have no issue leaving you behind.”

“Misaki...” Rimi frowns at the girl, who simply shrugs and stands up. She grabs a can of food and opens it effortlessly, before taking a spoon and scooping some into her mouth.

“I’m just saying,” Misaki says after swallowing. “I don’t mean to be rude but it’s true.” She then walks off to her futon as the room fills with silence, only the chattering of Saaya and co. filling the air.

• • •

Rimi was in the lead as usual when the group left early that morning, 8 am. The sun was still rising but there was enough light for the girls to maneuver around safely. Misaki was at the back as usual, keeping guard. Sana and Jun hung close to their sister, who’s eyes flicked around constantly at their surroundings.

Kasumi was shivering a little, but tries to relax herself by singing songs aloud. All while Chisato looked over the map to tell them when to change directions.

“You weren’t wrong on them being groggy,” Saaya said. “I haven’t seen any come close to us. Most just mind their own business.”

“They were like that when I went out last time,” Misaki said. “So I think these ones are just calmer in general.”

“Didn’t you say you saw Tsurumaki-san around here?” 

“Yeah, so we might see a few more girls from Hanasakigawa as well.” Misaki drags her feet as she walks. “I don’t know how many we’ll recognize, though.”

“Just a few more hours and we should be out of the city,” Rimi said. “We’ll try to avoid the Yamabuki bakery area since they were more rampant, but we’ll definitely be running into mobs soon.”

“We should try to travel up then,” Misaki said. “Most can’t access the stairwells inside buildings and if we get to the rooftops, we can safely get across the city without any issues.”

“Is that safe for these two?” Saaya asked.

“As long as we’re careful about the route, it should be.”

They continue to travel in silence for the most part. Kasumi lets out a few whines along the way, until eventually figuring out yes, she has to be quiet. No, Saaya wasn’t going to talk to her despite the baker’s soft spot for the vocalist. Rimirin was too focused, and she thought the other two were kinda scary. Great. This wasn’t kirakira dokidoki at all.

Upon reaching a larger part of the city, just as Rimi predicted, the zombies were much more lively. It was past noon as the girls quickly hurried into an apartment building. No time to raid the rooms as they scurried to the roof, Misaki shutting off the entrance to prevent them from being followed. Once they were safe, Rimi glances around for a safe way to make it to the next building. 

“Our main issue is going to be getting across the streets,” she said. “We have to find a turn somewhere instead, or a safe way to cross.”

“There’s a turn up that way,” Misaki said. “We can jump to the next building.”

“I don’t think Sana and Jun can make that jump,” Saaya said.

Misaki walks over to Jun. She kneels down next to him and in a hushed and soft tone, says, “is it okay if I pick you up? I won’t hurt you, I promise.”

He looks up at his sister, before letting go and giving Misaki a polite nod. The DJ picks him up and squeezes him tight. “Okay, hold on as tight as you can,” she tells him.

As he does, the girl takes a running start, before leaping to the next building, Jun still tightly held in her arms. She pats his back to comfort him, before setting him back on his feet. Saaya decides to follow with Sana. Rimi makes it over effortlessly, with Kasumi and Chisato left behind.

“That’s a big drop...” Kasumi said. “A-Are you sure this is safe?”

“You two have to jump to get over,” Misaki said. “I promise it’ll get easier.”

“I guess it wouldn’t be that bad if I died here,” Chisato said with a sigh. “Okay, here goes nothing.” She takes a leap and makes it across, with a slight yelp as she slams onto the roof. Misaki helps her to her feet, and the group turns to face Kasumi. The vocalist is still shaking, looking down at the ground in between the two buildings. 

“Kasumi, what’s wrong?” Saaya asked. “You usually would be able to do this kind of thing without another thought, wouldn’t you?”

“Y-Yeah, b-but...” Sweat rolls down Kasumi’s cheeks. “I-I don’t think...”

Saaya walks up to the edge. “Arisa would get annoyed but follow along with your plan anyway, O-Tae would have even crazier ideas to contribute, and Rimirin and I would have just as much fun.”

“Y-You’re right, but...”

The baker reaches her hand out. “And we’re always in it together, Kasumi. You can make the jump. We’re here with you, too.” 

Kasumi takes in a breath. She steps back a few steps, before running to the edge and taking a leap. She grabs on to Saaya as she lands, pulling the baker into a hug. “I made it! I made it!”

“You did!” 

Kasumi pulls away and puts a fist in the air. “Alright! From now on I’m going to do everything like I did with PoPiPa!”

“That’s my Kasumi!” Saaya chirped. “Come on, let’s get to the next building!”

“Good grief...” Misaki and Chisato both grumbled in unison. Rimi couldn’t help but laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all I have to say is I’m a big simp for KasuSaaya so excuse me B”)
> 
> I’m pretty happy with how this ch came out!! Especially since they’re finally leaving and we’ll get to see what the other characters are up to in the world. Yay!!


End file.
